Finding out about automata sculptor Katie Rowe(?)

March 7, 2021 11:03 AM

At 20:25 in this video about the York Museum of Automata, they show a fantastic automaton called The Birth of Venus, by Katie Rowe (spelling uncertain). I wasn't able to google up any more information about this artist, using multiple spelling variations of the name. The museum has been gone for 20+ years and has no significant web presence. I'm familiar with a lot of late 20th century automata artists through Cabaret Mechanical Theater and associates, but I'd never encountered this artist before!
posted by moonmilk to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

The folks at Scotland's House of Automata might be able to offer suggestions. They were operating a shop selling automata in London about this time - so would certainly have known about the museum in York. Here is a video with them.
posted by rongorongo at 11:59 AM on March 7, 2021

Maybe there's more info in the museum's catalog, either the $20 copy there or at one of these libraries.
posted by Wobbuffet at 12:06 PM on March 7, 2021

From a bit of googling I found this cached article (the original isn't available) about a collector of automata who lives in Scarborough, which isn't far from York. He has an Etsy page so you could contact him through that and see if he might know.
posted by essexjan at 12:08 PM on March 7, 2021

There are also dozens of links here to lead your down further rabbit holes in your quest.
posted by essexjan at 12:13 PM on March 7, 2021